How You Got Through College, Based on Your Personality Type

Whatever your personality type, there was probably a point where you mildly considered dropping out of college.

It might have been when you stared bitterly at your roommate’s passive-aggressive Post-it note. Or maybe it was when your professor gave you an 89 instead of a 90, depriving you of an A. Or was it when you opened an exam booklet and realized that, oh wow, you knew absolutely nothing on the test?

Well, whatever it was, you were able to make it. You made it through years of exams, social awkwardness, and too many firsts to count. And, hopefully, you’re walking away with the opportunity to pursue the life you want.

One question on your mind may be, “What comes next?” But before you move on to tackling that great big question, how about taking the time to pat yourself on the back?

C’mon. You deserve it.

Why?

Because university is a difficult beast to tame, friends. Be proud of yourself for coming so far.

So, let’s give some credit to you, the person who got yourself through all those years of hard work. Also, let’s point out some of the chuckle-worthy tools and methods you might’ve used, based on your personality type.

(Note: We mean all of this in good fun. Mostly.)

Architect: Finished university out of sheer spite. Likely thought, “Wow, this is a waste of time, I hate this,” at least once during their college career.
Logician: Survived through unhinged creativity and desperate motivation two hours before their assignment was due, including going down multiple research rabbit holes and racking up a questionable YouTube viewing history.
Commander: Joined several organizations and, unsurprisingly, did well. Kept afloat by their unassailable sense of self-confidence and the desire to crush others beneath their heel.
Debater: Didn’t survive so much as ricochet off the walls, but somehow managed to graduate. Favorite tools of choice? Red Bull and an unsettling ability to stay up for three days straight.
Advocate: Probably double majored. Sought out wholesome friendships to keep them afloat while simultaneously googling “How to recover from burnout as soon as possible.”
Mediator: Cried. And then pulled a Hail Mary and realized, “Hey, I’m actually pretty capable” – until they promptly forgot everything the next day.
Protagonist: Super excited about all the opportunities available to them, but also worried about whether they’d be able to find purpose and be paid well in the future. Survived by packing those existential worries deep, deep down and enjoying their time in college instead.
Campaigner: THE LOUDEST PERSON IN THE LIBRARY. Loved to be an emotional life jacket for their friends, and survived by finding several communities of friends with whom they could commiserate. “Do you understand this? I don’t understand this. No? Well, at least we can fail together.”
Logistician: On the surface, survived through choosing a practical course of study with a manageable course load. Deep down, loved to perturb their peers through their uncanny competence.
Defender: Surviving? Who had time to think about surviving? They put one foot in front of the other and did what had to be done.
Executive: Made an, ahem, executive decision that sleep was for the weak and that they would be the best students and the best partiers, so help them God.
Consul: Really, really wanted to be known as a well-adapted adult, and didn’t think that dropping out of college would fit that narrative.
Virtuoso: Survived by sitting at the back of the class and thinking about things they could build in their spare time.
Adventurer: Dedicated much of their time to cultivating an “aesthetic.” Survived through the satisfaction of being the best-dressed person in class and having the best taste.
Entrepreneur: They didn’t survive university. University survived them.
Entertainer: They partied, of course. Likely ended up with a tattoo and/or piercing by the end of their college career. But mostly survived because they were part of an organization or program or major that required them to do well or be kicked out.

Now that you’ve graduated from college, take some time to relax. Celebrate. And wait at least a week before you think about signing up for a graduate program.

Okay, we’ve had a little fun with each personality, but now we’d love to hear from you. How did you get through college – and what advice would you give to students with your personality type? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Further Reading